Death of Pope Francis: the next steps
Following the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church must now choose a new leader. The procedure is known as “sede vacante”, Latin for “empty seat”, a period that ends as soon as the new Pope has accepted the office. Two Belgian cardinals are eligible to vote in the process.
The procedure begins with the confirmation of death. The camerlengo, or chamberlain of the Pope, visits the deathbed with the Pope’s personal physician and several cardinals.
The nine-day mourning period, known as the Novemdiales, then begins. During this time, the faithful can pay their last respects in St Peter’s Basilica where the Pope lies in state.
Pope Francis introduced a series of changes to the funeral rites in 2024, with the intention of making it clear that it is a shepherd who is being buried, not a powerful man. He will be laid out not on a catafalque but in a simple coffin.
Discussions to choose a successor can begin as soon as all the cardinals are in Rome. In the most recent conclaves, it took two to three days to elect a pope.
There are more than 220 cardinals from more than 70 countries, but only about 120 are eligible to elect a new Pope. Those aged over 80 are excluded. Two-thirds of the cardinal electors were chosen by Francis in the past 10 years.
Jozef De Kesel, archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels until 2023, became a cardinal at the end of 2016 and will be able to participate. Dominique Mathieu became the second Belgian cardinal at the end of 2024. Born in Luxembourg province and raised in West Flanders, he has been Archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan in Iran since 2021.
The electoral conclave will take place in the Sistine Chapel, but the cardinals will stay at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Francis lived instead of the apartment in the Apostolic Palace. During the conclave, the cardinals are strictly forbidden to have any contact with the outside world.
A candidate must obtain the support of two-thirds of his colleagues to be elected. Four votes may be cast each day. Once a majority has been reached, the elected candidate is asked whether he accepts the papacy. As soon as he answers “accepta”, he is formally Pope and the sede vacante period is over. He is then asked what name he wishes to take.
The ballot papers are burned after each vote. After the election, a chemical substance is added to the smoke to turn it white, to signal to the faithful in St Peter’s Square. Since 2005, a successful election has also been accompanied by the ringing of bells.
From the balcony of the basilica, the cardinal with the longest service declares “Habemus papam”, or “We have a Pope”. The new Pope then gives his first blessing from the balcony.
Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI, stepped down for health reasons on 11 February 2013, at the age of 85. He had been in office for eight years. It was the first time in 1,415 years that a Pope had resigned. His pontificate ended on 28 February, and 13 days later Francis was elected.
Cardinals attend a mass at St Peter's basilica before the start of the conclave in March 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict. The cardinals must now elect a successor to Pope Francis © PHOTO GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
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